Warning issued about Vicks VapoRub

Vicks VapoRub, the over-the-counter chest rub that is used to relieve coughs and congestion may be dangerous for children ages two and younger, according to a new study.

As reported today by the journal Chest in a press release, children under age two whose caretakers had applied the Vicks under the nose developed respiratory difficulty. However, David Bernens, a spokesman for P&G, said “Vicks VapoRub has been proven safe and effective through multiple clinical trials. It has been in the market for over 100 years.” He added that the label says the product should not be used in children under age 2 without a doctor’s advice, and not under the nose.

The Department of Pediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as treated several children under two years old whose caretakers had given them Vicks VapoRub.

Vicks VapoRub contains eucalyptus, camphor and menthol. The inhaled fumes trigger sensors in the nose that give the brain a sensation of increased air flow, even though patients aren’t actually breathing any better.

Apparently, according to recent animal studies, the cold sensation may cause the brain to have a false sensation that the nose is drying out, and therefore paradoxically it could set up more mucous production rather than less.